Ontario government engineers start job action [Video]

More than 600 professional engineers and land surveyors who work for the Ontario government have started a work-to-rule campaign and warn that their job action could affect the province’s ability to make progress on key infrastructure projects.

Their bargaining association says members’ earnings have fallen so far behind that they sometimes earn half of what people in similar positions at municipalities make. They have been without a contract for 20 months.

Nihar Bhatt, president of Professional Engineers Government of Ontario, said his members want to see a “significant” increase in pay, though he did not give specific percentages.

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“What we’re looking for is market alignment,” he said.

“We are behind the market by 30 to 50 per cent. Obviously, nobody’s logically going to think that that’s what we’re going to get, but we need to start moving in that direction.”

A spokesperson for Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney said the government stands ready to negotiate in good faith at …